'You won't come out alive': Katter crocodile plan resurfaces

Tourists could go on crocodile-hunting safaris under a bill reintroduced into the Queensland Parliament.

Katter's Australian Party is giving their Safer Waterways private member's bill – first introduced in May 2017 – a second shot, after it lapsed without being debated when the election was called.

Crocodiles could be killed and their eggs hunted, under a re-introduced Katter's Australian Party bill.

Member for Hill Shane Knuth said people in north Queensland could not take a dip in beautiful beaches and swimming holes because of crocodiles.

"We can't ski out in our favourite skiing places and the rowing clubs have dropped in numbers because they get out and row, they're lucky to come back alive," he said.

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"I used to swim in those areas - you can't do that now because you won't come out alive."

It would create a crocodile authority to be based in Cairns that would decide on the number of crocs - which posed a safety threat - to be culled, enable Indigenous groups to host crocodile-hunting safaris and allow crocodile eggs to be harvested.

Landholders could apply for permits to either kill "rogue" crocodiles or take them to a crocodile farm.

The bill says as little as possible of the dead crocodiles should be wasted.

Egg harvesting is allowed in the Northern Territory, where wild eggs are taken to hatch in captivity, with crocodile meat sold and skins exported internationally.

Federal colleague Bob Katter last year declared with hyperbole, after deflecting a question about same-sex marriage: "In the meantime, every three months a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in north Queensland."

Since 2008, there were six deaths in Queensland from crocodile attacks, and three fatal attacks in the past three years.

There were 387 crocodiles reported from March until the end of 2017.

In 2010, there were 176 unconfirmed and 54 confirmed crocodile sightings.

Mr Knuth said crocodiles hurt international tourism because visitors were afraid to go near waterways.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington said she was not across the KAP bill, but crocodiles were a major issue in north Queensland.

The LNP took a crocodile policy to the election, which included egg harvesting, but the party was yet to form a position on the KAP bill.

Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said the government would consider the bill and its consistency in relation to state and federal legislation.

The bill has been referred to the State Development, Natural Resources and Agricultural Industry Development Committee.